Boat propulsion



oef, 30,1928. W. C. WALLIS BOAT PRoPULsIoN Filed Feb. 18, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ...www lul'i W Wallis ATTORN EY Oct. 30, 1928. 1,690,043

W. C. WALLIS BOAT PROPULSION Fi led Feb. 18, 192'? 2 Sheets-Sl'xee'tI 2 W. 0'. WOR/2,155

Patented Oct. 3o, 1928.

. s `WALLtrEis. c. wALLIsVoF cLovIsJNEW Mexico.` i l BOAT rizorunsroiv.Y f

i Appncauon ined February 1s, 1927. l serial Noisazsa I This invention relatesto improvements in vessels and has especial relation to propelling means for the same.

An object of the invention is to'providev 5 means for lconfining a volume of water to be d acted upon by apropeller and `thus'. provide a maximum amount of thrust, and a maximum speed for a given amount of power.

Another object of the invention 1s the proof the boat may be utilized to control its course. d t Y With the above and other objects in View, the invention further includes the following novel features and details of construction, to be hereinafter more fully described,. illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claim.'

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a boat constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same and showing diagrammatically `a source of power.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view.

Referring to the drawingsin detail wherein like characters of reference denote corren sponding parts, the reference character 1() indicates the hull of the boat which may be of any suitable type. Extending longitudinally through the hull is a conduit which is open at both its forward and rear ends. This conduit may be constructed in'various ways. It may he built into the boat during theconstruction of the latter and may form a part of the hull, or it may be installed during or after construction and may be in the form of a pipe or the like. For the pur ose of illustrating the invention, a pipe is s ownand provides a main conduit 11, which as shown, extends throughout the length of the vessel. The length of the conduit however, depends upon the length of the vessel and in very long vessels it may be advisable to extend the conduit through only a portion of the hull. By this means water is directed through the vessel from the bow to the stern.

Mounted in suitable bearings within the conduit 11 is a ropeller shaft 12 and mounted upon this shaflt)` is a propellerl which may be of any suitable type. As the volume of water passing through the conduit is so confined asto prevent its movement laterally, a

urne of water and the full affect of the propeller will result.

vision of means whereby the propelling powerv direct thrust will be exerted against this vol-Yl Suitable means may beprovided for regu-l lating the volume of water passing through the conduit and for preventing any water from passing through said conduit when desired. The means shown .consists in a gate valveli which is located in the bow ofthe boat and a gate valve 15 located in the stern.

It is preferred to provide the conduit with laterally extending branches 16 and 17 which havev their inner ends in communication with the conduit near the stern of the boat and their outer ends extending outward and opening at the stern. alsoprovided with gate valves 18 and 19 respectively and by closing, or partly closing either one of the valves 18 or 19, the course of the boat may be'regulated.

Suitable means may be provided for manipulating the valves 18 and 19 from a remote point, for example, from aV pilot house or other position at the forward end of the boat.

One of such means is shown in the form of an arm 20, one of these arms being associated with the stem of each of the valves 18 and 19.

The arms 20 are each fastwith the shaft 21 and mounted upon these shafts are drums 22 around which are wound cables 23. The op! posite lends of the arms 20 are connected with springs 24 which servente resist upward movet ment of this end of the arms.V The cables 23 These lateral branches are extend forward and are wound upon a drum I 25 which has connected thereto a steering wheel 26. It will be seen by reference to the drawings that operation of the steering wheel will control the valves 18 and 19 and regulate Y the volume of water passing through the lateral branches 16 and 17 so as to control the course ofthe vessel. In Figure 2 there is illustrated diagrammatically a motor 275 whose shaft has mount- Y ed thereon a pulley 28 which, by means of` a ybelt 29, drives a pulley 30 mounted upon the propeller shaft l The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportions and minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described... the invention what is claimed is In a vessel having a hull, steering and propelling means comprising a conduit extending longitudinally `of the hull and having both ends open, valves at the forwardl and rear ends of the conduit for controllingpassage of water therethrough, a propeller lo-g no f f provided with munuul turning means, nud liexihle members trained und wrapped uhout und upon said wimllnss, trained over guide pulleys and secured to und wrapped about said drums whereby one or the other of said 15 gute valves may be opened und the other elosed from the remote point.

In testlmony whereof I nlllx my slguuture.

WALTER C. WVALLS. 

